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Mark Yeninas and his wife are in Minnesota for the Super Bowl — and it’s not costing them anything.

The Hanover Twp. couple won an all-expense-paid trip to the big game through a Pennsylvania Lottery second-chance drawing. They even get $1,500 in spending money as part of the estimated $40,000 prize package.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime prize,” Yeninas said during a telephone call Thursday afternoon.

Yeninas, 55, and his wife, Susan, arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Thursday to a big welcome featuring Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders and the team’s mascot.

“It was insane,” Yeninas recalled. “They were cheering and yelling, ‘Welcome to Minnesota!’”

‘Win-win’ scenario

The couple will be rooting for the New England Patriots on Sunday when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Yeninas said he wants New England to capture a sixth Super Bowl to match Pittsburgh so his buddies who root for the Steelers don’t have sole bragging rights. His wife is just a big fan of legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, he said.

He knows they will likely be in the minority as support seems to be building behind the underdog Eagles, a franchise that has never won a Super Bowl.

“On the plane, I didn’t see any Patriots fans. Even the pilot made reference to ‘Fly Eagles Fly’ when we landed,” Yeninas recalled.

However, Yeninas said he’ll be happy with any outcome

“It’s a win-win. I’m going to see sports history made either way,” he said. “I’m either going to see the Eagles win their first Super Bowl or Tom Brady get his sixth”

Luck after lottery loss

Yeninas believes he won the lottery’s second-chance drawing by entering a losing daily number ticket.

He actually is more of a third-chance winner.

When Yeninas got an email claiming he was one of the grand prize winners, he checked the lottery website and didn’t see his name among the 10 winners listed. He wondered if the email could be a scam, but was soon assured when he called an official lottery phone number.

“A lot of the skepticism went away when I called the lottery and the guy said, ‘Congratulations, I was the one who just sent you that email,’” Yeninas said.

He was told he won because one or more of the original winners didn’t reply within six days to email sent by the lottery, the method used to notify winners. Those signing up for second-chance drawings via the Pennsylvania Lottery VIP Players Club are asked to provide an email address as a contact.

“He said you have six days to get the paperwork in. I said don’t worry, I will,” Yeninas said.

VIP treatment

Yeninas, his wife and other Pennsylvania Lottery trip winners are staying at an extended-stay hotel in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, about 20 miles from U.S. Bank Stadium, where the game will be held.

Their package includes VIP tickets to the opening event to Super Bowl LII weekend — today’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Merlin Olsen Luncheon at the Hyatt Hotel in Minneapolis. During the event, which normally costs $1,250 per person, guests get to hear stories from and meet NFL Hall of Famers.

Yeninas said he isn’t sure yet where his seats for the game are, but they are in the lower level.

He said his wife will be wearing a Tom Brady No. 12 jersey, while he’ll be wearing a neon green shirt.

“I wanted to wear it so I could tell people where I’m sitting and maybe they could find me on television,” Yeninas said.

Contact the writer:

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

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